Bearing packing



Nov.. 19, 1940- L. E. WEBSTER BEARING PACKING Y Filed Marsh 2o, 19:59l

Ins-l' Ill-- Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES BEARING PACKING Leo E.Webster, Two

Rivers, Wis., assigner to Crescent Woolen Mills Co., Two Rivers, Wis.

Application March 20,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to packings and more particularly to an improvedjacket for a fibrous packing.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved packing Which isadapted to be enclosed in a bearing housing and which is adapted toabsorb the lubricant used in the housing, the packing being soconstructed as to permit the formation of the packing in an elongatedstrip or rod 10 which is provided with spaced apart reduced portionsdening the length of particular packings which are adapted to be cut ofifrom the elongated strip or rod.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved casing fora relatively loosely packed fibrous material carded or formed from Woolor the like, the casing including a loosely knit major portion and arelatively tightly knit remaining portion, the remaining portion, beingpositioned at the opposite ends of the loosely knit portion so that thepacking Will not fray out when cut off from an elongated strip as is atpresent the case.

A further object of this invention is to provide a packing and a casingtherefor Which will permit the lubricant in the bearing housing to comeinto ready contact With the material in the casing or jacket so thatthis material may readily absorb the lubricant.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a packing of thiskind which by reason of the reduced or tightly bound end portions isadapted to prevent the body of the packing from Working out of theopposite ends of the jacket particularly during the initial insertion ofthe packing in the bearing housing.

To the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, theinvention consists of the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts as will be more specically referred to andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is illustrated anembodiment of this invention, but it is to be understood that changes,variations and modications may be resorted to which fall Within thescope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of a packing constructed accordingto an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the packing rod used withthis improved jacket,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the jacket showing the looseand closely knit threads or strands,

1939, Serial No. 262,978

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line [4 4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of a bearing having a packingmeans constructed according to this invention mounted therein.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral IQ designates generally a rod'orelongated packing strip which in the present instance, is substantiallyround in transverse section and is formed of relatively loosely packedbers having fluid absorbing characteristics. These fibers may be formedout of Wool, rayon, cotton, hemp or combinations of these materials. Thepacking member i@ is inserted in a tubular` jacket II which is formed ofvrelatively loosely knit threads orcstrands as shown at I2 in Figure 3.These loosely knit strands l2 extend throughout substantially the majorportion of each packing unit and at the opposite ends of each packingunit, the jacket II is provided With a relatively closely or tightlyknit portion I3. During ythe formation of the jacket II, this jacket isformed in a relatively long or continuous strip having the loosely knitportions I2 connected with the tightly knit portions I3` and a series ofthese packing units Il are connected together `as shown in Figure 1. Inconnected form, the tightly knit portions I3 define the length of eachpacking unit which is adapted to be cut off at substantially the centerof each tightly `knit portion as shown by the dot and dash line lli inFigure 1. y

The bearing unit II as shown in Figure 5 is adapted to be inserted in abearing housing i5 being'bent orl formed into a substantial circle withthe reduced end portions I3 disposed in abutting relation so as to forma substantially complete circle. It Will be noted from Figure 5 thatWhen the packing unit is in aligned position, the free ends of the unitare tightly held by the closely knit jacket portions i3 so that thepacking material II) will 'not fray or nare out as is the case withpacking jackets at present available and using only a loosely knitjacket.

In the use of this packing the rod or packing body l0 is initiallyformed into the desired length of material having the desired diameterWhereupon the jacket I l is then knit thereabout. The loosely knitportions I3 are spaced apart for the desired distance so that when eachpacking unit is cut off from the long strip, a packing unit is providedWhich has reduced and closely knit opposite end jacket portions whichhold the packing material or body ID in compressed form and prevent thispacking material from aring out or from being pulled or lost from theopposite ends of the jacket.

A packing constructed according to this invention can be easily andquickly mounted in a bearing housing and can be used to either absorbexcess lubricant in the housing or for, the purpose of lubricating, thebearing. Due to the tightly compressed opposite end portions of thepacking, the unit can be more quickly placed Within the bearing housingthan packings' at present available, as there are no projecting strandsat the opposite ends and it is therefore,

not necessary for the person assembling the `ses Ibearing to compressany flared ends as is the case with packings at present in use.

What I claim is:

1. In a bearing packing unit, a fibrous core formed of relativelyloosely packed absorbing material, said core including an elongatedintermediate portion and a pair of compressed end portions of lessdiameter and of less length than said intermediate portion, a tubularjacket of mesh-like form having an elongated intermediate portionencompassing the intermediate portion of saidcore and a pair of shortend portions of reduced diameter with respect to the intermediateportion of the jacket encompassing the end portions of the core.

2. In a bearing packing unit, a fibrous core formed of relativelyloosely packed absorbing material, said core including an elongatedintermediate portion and a pair of compressed end portions `of lessdiameter and of less length than said intermediate portion, a tubularjacket lof mesh-like form having an elongated intermediate portionencompassing the intermediate portion of said core and a pair of shortend portions of reduced diameter with respect to the intermediateportion of the jacket encompassing the end portions of the core, theintermediate portion of said jacket being loosely knit, and the endportions of the jacket being closely knit and tightly engaging the endportions of the `core for maintaining them compressed to thereby preventthe lengthwise shifting of the core relative to the jacket.

3. In a bearing packing unit, a fibrous core formed of relativelyloosely packed absorbing material, said core including an elongatedintermediate portion and a pair of compressed end portions of lessdiameter and 'of less length than said intermediate portion, a tubularjacket of mesh-like form having an elongated intermediate portionencompassing the intermediate portion of said core and a pair of shortend portions of reduced diameter with respect to the intermediateportion of the jacket encompassing the end portions of the core, theouter termini of the reduced end portions of the jacket beingpermanently open and flush with the termini of the core.

4. In a bearing packing unit, a brous core formed of relatively looselypacked absorbing material, said core including an elongated inter--mediate portion and a pair of compressed end portions of less diameterand of less length than said intermediate portion, a tubular jacket ofmesh-like form having an elongated intermediate portion encompassing theintermediate portion of said core and a pair of short end portions ofreduced diameter with respect to the intermediate portion of the jacketencompassing the end portions of the core, the outer termini of thereduced end portions of the jacket being permanentlyY open and ush Withthe termini of the core, the intermediate portion of said jacket beingloosely knit, and the end portions of the jacket being closely knit andtightly engaging the end portions of the core for maintaining themcompressed to thereby prevent the length- Wise shiftingof the corerelative to the jacket.

5. A .packing comprising a brous elongated core and a knit jacket aboutsaid core, said jacket including spaced, loosely knitted portionsencompassing spaced portions of the core and spaced relatively shortclosely knitted portions encompassing other spaced portions of the coreconnecting said loosely knitted portions together, said closely knittedportions being of less diameter than the loosely knitted portions andcompressing spaced portions of the core which they encompass to therebyprevent the shifting of the core relative to the jacket.

6. A packing comprising a brous elongated core and a knit jacket abovethe core, said jacket including loosely knitted portions encompassingthe core and closely knitted portions encompassing the core, certain ofsaid closely knitted portions connecting said loosely knitted portionstogether, said closely knit portions being of less diameter than theloosely knit portions and compressing spaced portions of the core tothereby prevent the shifting of the core relative to the jacket.

7. A packing comprising a brous elongated core and a knit jacket abovethe core, said jacket including loosely lknitted portions encompassingthe core and closely knitted portions encompassing the core, certain ofsaid closely knitted portions connecting said loosely knitted portionstogether, said closely knit portions being of less diameter than theloosely knit portions and compressing spaced portions of the core tothereby prevent the shifting of the core relative to the jacket, saidcore being formed of absorbing material and said jacket beingpermanently open at each end.

,8. A bearing packing unit comprising a jacket formed of a loosely knitintermediate portion and a pair of closely knit opposite end portions,said end yportions being of less diameter than said intermediateportion, and a fibrous absorbent core in said jacket, said coreextending into said end jacket portions and being compressed thereby,the open end portions of said jacket and the termini of said coreabutting each other upon insertion of said unit in an annular bearinglubricating chamber to thereby form a split ringshaped packing havingthe core thereof substantially continuous when in applied position.

LEO E. WEBSTER.

